


He was Content (For Now)

by Erinsun



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:42:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28662654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erinsun/pseuds/Erinsun
Summary: Damon struggles to live a full life with Elena gone. His friends decide to cheer him up by taking him to a frat party.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	He was Content (For Now)

**Author's Note:**

> AU after "I'd Leave My Happy Home for You". Alaric and Jo's wedding goes off without a hitch, but Kai still comes and ties Bonnie and Elena's life together. There's no Heretics. Liv doesn't die and Tyler stays in Mystic Falls. I haven't watch season 6 in forever and mostly wanted to explore a "what if everything wasn't a dumpster fire and Damon's struggling to deal with Elena gone?"

Damon had resisted the lure of checking out. He wanted to be the better man that Elena deserved, the better brother, the better friend. Lately, though, the monotony of living was getting to him. Every day was the same: text Jeremy to make sure that he was going to class, drink bourbon, listen to Stefan and Caroline be madly in love, drink bourbon, torment Bon Bon, convince Enzo to be better and then drink even more bourbon. Even the liquor store employees were starting to get concerned over the amount of bourbon he bought in a week. But he promised Elena that he would live his life and no matter how hard it was, he had to keep trying.

And right on time, Bonnie’s name popped up on his cell phone. “Bon Bon! How was World Religions?” Damon smirked into his tumbler as he half-listened to Bonnie rant about her professor and his dismissal of witchcraft

“—and then he had the audacity to say that there are studies that say those who follow witchcraft are basically crazy! Me crazy! That’s just – ugh! Anyway, what did you do today, besides drink?”

“Oh, you know. I reorganized the study. The settee was getting too much sun and starting to fade. Checked in on Jeremy. He’s doing well. Read a little.”

“Damon, this isn’t what Elena would want. She would want you to go out, have fun, live your life. Not reorganize your family’s study and buy out Hal’s Liquor store. That’s it! You’re coming to the Sigma Pi party tonight. We’ll all go and make it a thing. I’ll text Stefan the details. Bye!” Bonnie hung up abruptly, knowing that Damon would try and weasel out of not going if she didn’t end the call quickly.

Damon looked at his phone, exasperated. _The witch is out of her mind if she thinks I’m going to go to a frat party. I’ve done the college thing. I don’t need to repeat it._ Setting his drink down, he turned toward Stefan as he came into the library.

“Hey, Caroline just called. Guess we’re all going to the Sigma Pi party. Caroline said Tyler and Matt will be there too. It’ll be good to hang out with friends tonight.” Stefan tried saying positively.

Damon’s face twisted into disgust, “No, I’m not going to some college party. I don’t need friends. I’m fine.”

Stefan sighed, “I figured you’d say that.” He sped toward Damon and injected him with a vial of vervain. “Really, Stefan?” Damon gasped out as he fell into his brother’s arms, already blacking out.

“It’s for the best, brother. You can’t keep living like this. It’s been two years.”

* * *

When Damon awoke, he was in the back of his Camaro. Matt the idiot was driving while Tyler and Liv were laughing and kissing in the front seat. Stefan noticed Damon stirring and grabbed him before he could launch himself out of the car. “Do it for Bonnie,” Stefan whispered so that only Damon could hear, “She feels bad enough and you’re making it worse.” Damon nodded and sighed, resigning himself to a long night of sweaty bodies, loud music, and faking a smile. Stefan clapped his hand on Damon’s shoulder as if to brace Damon. Damon shrugged off his gesture and crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to listen to Matt the idiot’s choice of music.

Eventually, the grating music was drowned out by the thumpa thumpa of a loud party. “Damon, let’s go find the girls.” Stefan called out over the music. Tyler and Liv were already gone, running toward some friend from Tyler’s econ class. Matt trailed behind Stefan and Damon. Luckily, they found Caroline and Bonnie quickly. They were sitting on a couch together giggling, the smell of marijuana sickly sweet in the air. Stefan smiled and rolled his eyes at the antics of his girlfriend and her best friend.

“Stefan! Damon! Matt! You’re here!” Caroline called out brightly before pushing herself off the couch to rush at her boyfriend. He only had a moment to brace himself before she launched herself into his arms. They began kissing and being generally too cute. Matt scoffed and rolled his eyes, heading toward a pretty Tri Delt by the keg. Damon could not deal so he turned away to find the nearest drink. He needed to be much more drunk to deal with this whole thing. Finding the bar, he compelled the pledge at the bar to give him a whole bottle of whiskey.

Taking a long drink, he turned and observed the crowd. It was the typical fair of too drunk young adults making bad decisions. Normally, he would revel in the debauchery. Maybe even snatch, eat, erase. But it just didn’t feel worth it without Elena here. He closed his eyes and remembered the how sexy she looked dancing, eating, erasing when she first turned. She was beautiful when she let go of herself and let herself drown in the simple joy of being. Lost in the memory, he didn’t notice Bonnie coming up beside him until she locked hands with him, tugging him toward the dancing masses.

Opening his eyes, he smiled down at her and let her take the lead. He lost himself to the music, the sound of the hearts thumping, the alcohol and his best friend’s body, nothing else mattered right now.

* * *

The party began to wind down around 2:00am. Tyler and Liv were long gone, heading back to his dorm room for some quality time. Matt had hit it off with the Tri Delt and had disappeared too. Stefan and Caroline were making out in a corner, Caroline pausing occasionally to giggle as the marijuana had not fully left her systems. Bonnie and Damon cuddled together on a chair, as all the other seating was taken by other couples. She turned her head, brushing Damon’s hair away from his eyes. She clearly wanted to ask something. Damon looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “What is it Bon Bon?”

“Do you hate me?” She asked quietly, still gently stroking his hair. Damon closed his eyes against the brief flash of pain. Opening his eyes, he pursed his lips and tapped them with his index finger, “Only because you’ve never kissed me and according to Enzo I’m really missing out –” he finished his sentence in laughter as she pushed him away, laughing too. The serious look did not leave her eyes which caused Damon to sober up.

“No, Bonnie, I don’t hate you. How can I? You’re my Bon Bon. I spent four months in that prison world with you and there is only a couple of thousand people I’d rather be with.” Bonnie hits him on the back of the head with a laugh and he smiles at her.

“Do I wish Elena was here? Yes. Do I wish she was here instead of you? No. The best and worst day of my life will be the day that you die Bonnie. I’ll gain the love of my life, but I’ll lose my brave, funny, annoying best friend. I love you Bonnie Bennett. Never think anything different.” He leaned up and kissed her forehead as a tear tracked down her cheek. Slouching down, she cuddled into his body and he pulled her in tighter, wishing it was Elena, but content for now.


End file.
